What Disney stuff should I buy BEFORE WDW so I don't have to buy it AT WDW?

[lwilliam]

does NOT have a grocery store (what a GREAT idea that would be - also a drugstore!) - the closest store would be at The Crossings (expensive grocery store) - also, when we are at the Boardwalk, we walked to the Hess gas station for necessities - water, snacks, etc.


Thank you so much for the idea about the disposable coffee cups! I think I have taken every idea that was mentioned on this thread (we are 'twice a year visitors' to the parks) but the disposable coffee cups was a new one to me....I hate carrying those mugs around the parks (well, it is because of ME that I must carry them - i like to carry my coffee on the bus!)

 

[misricsmith]

fort wilderness has a small store with bread milk etc....

 

[macraven]

Yes, I've been looking, but haven't found one available at my time, yet.

Does anyone recommend paying for a frig? Will it be worth the extra $100 we will spend to rent it? I have been going back and forth with this. We do bring home leftovers, but never seem to eat them, and always end up throwing the stuff away at the end of a trip. Do they have ice buckets and ice machines at ASMovies? I was thinking maybe put a few drinks on ice in the ice bucket to keep them cool each day.

i do car service from mco to wdw.
i get a free grocery stop with it.

what i pay for this ($85) more than covers the snacks and incidental costs i would be paying at the resorts/parks.

i buy the $4. styrofoam ice chests during the grocery stop.

i fill it with ice from the machines at the resort.
i keep the ice chest with lid on it in the bathtub while i am at the parks.
i leave a note on top, do not move, so the housekeepers dont take it out of the tub.

i fill it in the morning and refill when i go to bed.
i don't fill it all the way up , just enough to keep items cold.
milk, lunch meats, food containers from the resturarnts, etc can be kept in there.

you can use the microwaves at the food courts to heat up the leftovers.

it may seem like a lot of work, but it works for us.

 

[dani blaski]

I agree with the meds.
Did anyone mention duct tape? You can small rolls and it is helpful in repairing a show or luggage. Cheap enough to keep in your travel bag if you never open it.
I always pack a travel pack of Tide JUST in case. I was traveling on business once and a go-cup of coffee exploded on me when it bent while trying to put the lid on!
If I am going on a trip with our son: I always pack a few ziplocs and plastic garbage bags. Actually if we are using the car I have a box of each in the trunk! I have had to use them for messy clothes, stinky diapers, muddy shoes, and wet clothes. And they also serve as emergency ponchos!
Also I use a ziploc for wipes since I buy the large refill packs of diaper wipes. Also great for cleaning the car interior!

 

[englishrose47]

I agree with the meds.
Did anyone mention duct tape? You can small rolls and it is helpful in repairing a show or luggage. Cheap enough to keep in your travel bag if you never open it.
I always pack a travel pack of Tide JUST in case. I was traveling on business once and a go-cup of coffee exploded on me when it bent while trying to put the lid on!
If I am going on a trip with our son: I always pack a few ziplocs and plastic garbage bags. Actually if we are using the car I have a box of each in the trunk! I have had to use them for messy clothes, stinky diapers, muddy shoes, and wet clothes. And they also serve as emergency ponchos!
Also I use a ziploc for wipes since I buy the large refill packs of diaper wipes. Also great for cleaning the car interior!

I can think of other uses for duct tape

 

[dizlizzy223]

I've found that the pins at the Disney Store really aren't that great of a value because you can choose from a better variety in Disney World or Disneyland and the pins are usually the same price or even less. I would also get ponchos in any other color but yellow before you go, so the people in your family are more visible and you'll save money.

 

[macraven]

disney stopped selling yellow ponchos maybe 3-4 years ago.

they are clear ponchos with the wdw logo on the back of them.

 

[Bill_Lin]

I recommend the blue ones from Wal-Mart, which, ironically are like the very old WDW blue ones.

 

[sbell111]

On the day we arrive in Orlando, we always drive to the WalMart and/or Target on 192. We buy whatever essentials that we'll need and also browse through the tons of Disney stuff that they have. These side trips have allowed us to save tons of cash on snacks, drinks, and toiletries. We've also picked up lots of Disney clothes and gifty stuff for much less than we would have paid in the parks. Strangely, we still end up buying tons of stuff at the parks and DTD. Oh well.

Years ago, we bought the Disney ponchos. for years, we lugged them back and forth on our Disney trips, but we've stopped doing that. I now pack a bunch of the disposable ponchos. I actually bring enough of them so every member of our party has a new one each day. I toss enough for each of us in the backpack in case it rains. If it does, we are covered. If not, they are saved until next trip.

The best thing about using the disposable kind is that you can dispose of them. If it's done raining for the day, you throw it out, rather than babysit it.

Another good tip relates to the penny squishies. These make good momentos, but they can be a bit of a pain. First of all, you have to carry around a bunch of change with you. Second, you end up carrying around a bunch of penny squishies that junk up your pockets or your backpack pockets.

Based on someone's tip, we now keep an M&M minis tube with our luggage. When we are preparing for our trip, we get a bunch of change and sort it into the tube. By stacking the coins (2 quarters, 1 penny, 2 quarters, 1 penny...), it is easy peasy to dig out the change at the machine. A bonus is that as soon as you've bought a couple pressed pennies, you'll have room in the tube to store them.

 

[Bill_Lin]

I would love to know more about what sort of Disney stuff you might find at Target. I wonder if they have stores with such stuff near Disneyland as well.

Inflation is amazing sometimes. How did the penny squishers get from a quarter to 2 quarters..... Wow. I love the M & M tube ideas. I also bought some glow stick bracelet things. The tubes they came in are great for storing stuff in a back pack.

Bill

Bill

 

[SGMCO]

The best thing about using the disposable kind is that you can dispose of them. If it's done raining for the day, you throw it out, rather than babysit it.
QUOTE]


Where can you find disposable ponchos at?

If they are not to expensive they would be great because
it's very hard sometimes to get the wet ponchos dried out to
repack.

 

[englishrose47]

The best thing about using the disposable kind is that you can dispose of them. If it's done raining for the day, you throw it out, rather than babysit it.
QUOTE]


Where can you find disposable ponchos at?

If they are not to expensive they would be great because
it's very hard sometimes to get the wet ponchos dried out to
repack.

Dollar Tree has them they are 2/$1 They are usually on a stand near the door at our stores. Sure beats $6 or$7 at WDW!!

 

[polineedyan]

We bought the cheapo ponchos, but never used them, despite the rain..we also bought a lot of our disney clothing at kmart, walmart, etc for less than 1/2 the cost of the disney clothing onsite.
The one thing I would recommend is the sprayer fans. We got there without one, and ds was just dying for one. At 15.50 (i think) I was reluctant..but on the hottest day, I splurged, and boy was it great. 15.50 is way high for that, especially when the strap said disneyland resort and we were at EPCOT. But really, it was VERY nice to have. Way too expensive.

 

[justplaingoofy]

We don't have a dollar store, but I found the disposable ponchos at Walmart in the camping section....I think they were .89 cents. Kmart also had them in that department.

 

[cindar91]

To add to the list...in the days of all electro gadgets...we take a power strip cause there are never enough plugs in the room for the chargers..not too mention blow dryers and things..
sunscreen and after sun..walkie talkies are also kind of coo,if your kids are alittle older but too young for a cell phone...
have a great trip..

 

[englishrose47]

We bought the spray bottles too and they are NOT going this year, the kids thought the idea was to spray each other and us and we will not make that mistake again!!

 

[Ohio Disney Girl]

We buy several of the metal "dog tags" with our children's ID info. and our cell numbers on them, thread them onto elastic hair ties, and "loop" them though their tags in their shorts or shirts, or even shoes. That way, they have I.D., but it's not easily available to strangers, it's easy to transfer ecah day, and doesn't come off like the tatoos do. We also attach one of these to our camera bag, stroller, etc.....

I know there are probably even better ideas out there, but this one works for us!

 

[Dopey420]

We always make sure to buy canned sodas and bottled water. Much cheaper than out of the vending machines...

 

[mom to 3 angels]

Where did you find those lighted spinny things? I saw them a lot in Feb at Disney and they were outrageous in price! I pick up glow sticks all the time but have not found the spinny things yet!!

I know this is a little late, but if it's what I'm thinking of (never been to WDW before, but I think I've got the idea) our WalMart had these in the "cheapie" toy isle. Near the 88 cent stuff. They were around $4-$5.


HTH
Sonja

 

[Jazcat]

but a tube of monistat antichaping gel this will prevent heat rash / chafting this can be bought at walmart or target.